Electronic apparatus and method of detecting shock given to the electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electronic apparatus is provided that comprises a shock detector for detecting a shock received by an electronic apparatus such as a portable telephone, a controller for comparing the value of the shock as detected by the shock detector with a reference value, and a memory element for storing an identifying signal generated when the value of a shock has exceeded the reference value and the value of shock. This enabling easy determination as to whether or not a breakdown has been caused by shock.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such asportable telephone and method of detecting a shock given to theapparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

Technical innovations in electronic components have enabledminiaturization of various types of electronic apparatus and theminiaturization has enabled widespread use of portable informationdevices as represented by portable telephones.

A major cause of breakdown during use of portable telephones isdropping.

An electronic apparatus that was dropped naturally receives a shock, andis at times damaged.

There has been a problem that, on such an occasion, when the userrequests the manufacturer or servicing company for repair, it takes timefor the manufacturer to identify the cause of breakdown. This hampersimmediate response to the repair request.

The warranty may state that “Even when the product is under warranty, ifthe breakdown is due to dropping of the product by the user, thebreakdown will not be covered by warranty.” However, the user mayrequest the manufacturer or servicing company for charge-free repair orcharge-free replacement when the occurrence of the damage is within thewarranty period.

In such a case, it is not possible to prove that the electronicapparatus (a portable telephone, for example) has been given anextraordinary large shock (hereinafter referred to as “excessiveshocks”) that would not occur in normal use. When a breakdown issurmised by the manufacturer or servicing company to have been caused bydropping, as long as the user claims that it is not due to dropping, themanufacturer or servicing company had to accept the request forcharge-free repair or charge-free replacement.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An electronic apparatus is provided that comprises a shock detectorhaving a shock detecting element and a conversion circuit for convertinga signal from the shock detecting element into an electric signal. Acontroller compares the value of a shock detected by the shock detectorwith a reference value. A memory element stores an identifying signalthat is generated when the value of a shock has exceeded the referencevalue and the value of the shock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken rear view of the exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of a shock detector in theexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the shock detector in the exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shock detecting element in theexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram in the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a control circuit diagram in the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a control circuit diagram in another exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view in another exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view in another exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, a description will be given below onexemplary embodiments of the present invention.

(Exemplary Embodiment)

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, display 2, operating section 3, microphone 4, andspeaker 5 are provided on the front side of the exterior surface of bodycase 1 of a portable telephone.

Also, antenna 6 is provided on the upper surface of body case 1 and,toward a lower position, a terminal for charging (not shown) and aterminal for external connection (numeral 7 in FIG. 7) are provided.

Furthermore, battery 8, a rechargeable battery, for example, isdetachably placed on the rear side of the interior of body case 1.

Shock detector 9 is provided at a lower corner of the interior of bodycase 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, shock detector 9 comprises case 10 having anupper opening and lid 14 for covering the upper opening. Case 10 housesshock detecting element 11, field effect transistor 12 (FET), andresistor 13.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, shock detecting element 11 comprises fixedsection 15 and vibrating section 16, one side of which is fixed to fixedsection 15. Fixed section 15 is fixed on the inner bottom surface ofcase 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Vibrating section 16 is made free tovibrate and electrodes 17 are provided on its front and rear surfaces.As vibrating section 16 is of bimorph structure made by cementing twopiezoelectric plates with respective direction of polarization opposingto each other, electric charges are generated between two electrodes 17,17 when a shock (acceleration) is applied.

Also, these components are electrically connected by a conversioncircuit shown in FIG. 4 for converting a signal from shock detectingelement 11 into an electric signal.

In other words, shock detecting element 11 and resistor 13 are connectedin parallel, and their point of connection is connected to gate G of FET12. Accordingly, when electric charges are generated between twoelectrodes 17, 17 due to a shock as described above, they are convertedinto a voltage signal by resistor 13 as illustrated in FIG. 6, and thevoltage is applied to gate G.

Also, power supply terminal 18 is connected to drain D of FET 12 towhich a voltage is supplied from a power source (numeral 31 in FIG. 7)directly or indirectly obtained from battery 8.

Furthermore, resistor 19 and output terminal 20 are connected to sourceS of FET 12.

Suppose, far instance, that the voltage applied to power supply terminal18 in FIG. 4 to be three volts and the resulting voltage at the point ofconnection between resistor 19 and source S to be one volt, the voltagethat develops across resistor 13 due to a signal from shock detectingelement 11 will oscillate up and down with the above-mentioned one voltin the center as shown in FIG. 6. The voltage is directly output as anelectric signal from output terminal 20.

In the above structure, when body case 1 as shown in FIG. 1 is droppedon the floor, shock detecting element 11 detects the shock due toimpact. The electric charges generated in shock detecting element 11 areconverted into an electric signal by the conversion circuit shown inFIG. 4 for output at output terminal 20, which is subsequently suppliedto controller 21 in FIG. 7.

Controller 21 has a function of comparing the input signal with areference value generated by reference value generator 32. When theinput signal is greater than the reference value, namely, on theoccasion of an excessive shock, controller 21 stores in memory element22 an identifying signal to determine whether an excessive shock hasoccurred, the value of the input signal (the value of the shock), andthe date and time of occurrence as known from time base generator 33. Italso has a function of informing the user based on an identifying signalthat an excessive shock has been detected by alarm 23.

By using speaker 5 in FIG. 1 as a sound-making member of alarm 23, it ispossible to inform the user occurrence of an excessive shock with sound.

Also, by providing a light-emitting member in body case 1 in FIG. 1 asalarm 23, it is possible to inform the user occurrence of an excessiveshock with light.

Furthermore, by using display 2 as alarm 23, it is possible to informthe user occurrence of an excessive shock with characters and symbols ondisplay 2.

By informing occurrence of an excessive shock to the user by alarm 23using these means, the user can immediately recognize after droppingthat a breakdown is due to an excessive shock resulting from dropping.This makes it easy for the user to recognize the cause of breakdown.

As a) an identifying signal as to whether an excessive shock hasoccurred, b) the value of the shock, namely, magnitude of the shock, andc) the date and time of occurrence of the shock are stored in memoryelement 22 of FIG. 7, both the manufacturer or servicing company and theuser can jointly confirm the information stored in memory element 22when the user takes body case 1 to the manufacturer or servicingcompany.

To be more specific, by connecting measuring instrument 24 to externalconnection terminal 7 as shown in FIG. 7 and confirming the informationstored in memory element 22, a determination can be made as to whetherthe breakdown is due to an excessive shock resulting from dropping andthe like, and the magnitude of the excessive shock as well as the dateand time of occurrence of the excessive shock can be easily known.

Accordingly, by being able to clarify the cause of the breakdown, quickresponse to a repair request can be made.

Also, there will be fewer requests by the user for charge-free repair orcharge-free replacement.

Shock detector 9 that includes shock detecting element 11 is provided ata corner inside body case 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In general, corners of a case have high strength as plural number ofwalls converge at corners. As shock detector 9 is provided at such acorner, possibility of being damaged is low.

In other words, by making the strength of shock detecting unit 25 higherthan that of load unit 26 thereby making it stronger to damage due to anexcessive shock, shock detection can be made without failure.

In the meantime, in FIG. 8, control circuit 27 for controlling loads(numerals 2 to 5) is connected to memory device 28 in which programs forcontrolling the operation of control circuit 27 are stored.

Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, though a description was madeon a portable telephone as an example, the electronic apparatus and theshock detecting method for an electronic apparatus in accordance withthe present invention may be applied to a portable TV shown in FIG. 9,or a camera shown in FIG. 10, or other electronic devices as otherembodiments of the present invention.

In FIG. 9, shock detector 9 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided in bodycase 29 of a TV, and alarm 23 is exposed to the outer surface of bodycase 29.

In FIG. 10, shock detector 9 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided insidebody case 30 of a camera, and alarm 23 is exposed on the outer surfaceof body case 30.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention provides an apparatus for detecting a shockreceived by an electronic apparatus such as a portable telephone andmethod of detecting the shock. The apparatus enables easy determinationas to whether or not a breakdown of an electronic apparatus has beencaused by an excessive shock such as due to dropping.

1. An electronic apparatus comprising: a shock detector unit for usewith a load unit including: (a) a shock detector including: a shockdetecting element; and a conversion circuit for converting a signal fromsaid shock detecting element into an electric signal; (b) a controllerfor comparing a value of a shock as detected by said shock detector witha reference value; and (c) a memory element for storing an identifyingsignal that is generated when said value of the shock has exceeded saidreference value and said value of the shock, wherein said shock detectorunit is separate from said load unit, and a strength of said shockdetector unit is higher than that of said load unit.
 2. The electronicapparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an external connection terminalthat is connected to said controller and that outputs said identifyingsignal and said value of said shock stored in said memory element. 3.The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an alarm that isconnected to said controller and that outputs an alarm signal based onsaid identifying signal.
 4. The electronic apparatus of claim 3, whereinsaid alarm has a sound-generating member.
 5. The electronic apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein said alarm has a light-emitting member.
 6. Theelectronic apparatus of claim 3, wherein said alarm has a display. 7.The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory element storessaid identifying signal, said value of said shock, and the time and datesaid shock has occurred.
 8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid shock detector is provided at a high strength location inside acase of the electronic apparatus.
 9. A method of detecting a shock, saidmethod comprising the steps: (A) providing a shock detector unit for usewith a load unit, said shock detector unit including: (a) a shockdetector including: a shock detecting element; and a conversion circuitfor converting a signal from said shock detecting element into anelectric signal; (b) a controller for comparing a value of the shock asdetected by said shock detector with a reference value; and (c) a memoryelement for storing an identifying signal that is generated when saidvalue of the shock has exceeded said reference value and said value ofthe shock,  wherein said shock detector unit is separate from the loadunit and a strength of said shock detector unit is higher than that ofsaid load unit; (B) detecting said value of the shock by means of saidshock detector of said shock detector unit; (C) comparing said value ofthe shock with said reference value using said controller; and (D)generating said identifying signal when said value of the shock hasexceeded said reference value.
 10. The method of detecting a shock ofclaim 9 further comprising the step of: storing in said memory elementsaid value of said shock and time and date said shock has occurred. 11.The method of detecting a shock according to claim 9, said methodfurther comprising the steps of: storing said identifying signal in amemory element; and outputting the stored information from said memoryelement.
 12. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein said memoryelement stores said identifying signal, said value of said shock, andthe time and date said shock has occurred.
 13. The electronic apparatusof claim 3, wherein said memory element stores said identifying signal,said value of said shock, and the time and date said shock has occurred.14. The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein said memory elementstores said identifying signal, said value of said shock, and the timeand date said shock has occurred.
 15. The electronic apparatus of claim5, wherein said memory element stores said identifying signal, saidvalue of said shock, and the time and date said shock has occurred. 16.The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein said memory element storessaid identifying signal, said value of said shock, and the time and datesaid shock has occurred.